Greetings,

I arrived here thru a link posted on Lumberjocks. That is a nice forum, just too big and fast moving for me. I prefer a smaller more intimate setting.

 

I used to be a machinist (manual and CNC), buyer, and QA Manager but now I am a stay at home Bob. We used to live in Galveston, but after Ike we reevaluated our lives and what is important to us and moved to Deep East Texas. My Sweetheart is an RN in a Dialysis clinic and I take care of everything else.

 

We bought a home needing some updates so I get to stay busy with the DIY stuff. Basically I'm a jack of all trades (except the black arts of HVAC and Electric). Currently I am adding a bathroom and renovating a bedroom.

 

I work out of a 1 car garage where I have a table saw, band saw, AC arc welder, small oxy/gas torch kit, my old machinist tool chests, the usual hand power tools, and my Craftsman Compucarve aka the little whittler. This space also has to be shared with my Sweethearts 97 Sportster and my 98 Softail Custom.

 

This past Christmas I borrowed a small lathe from my neighbor and made a set of artist pencils for my sweethearts niece. I wouldn't mind doing more pens but just don't have the money right now, but maybe sometime down the road I'll get another chance.

 

Other then that, I guess if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

 

Bob

Well thanks for sharing Bob! It's a pleasure to have you here with us. You were looking for a smaller intimate place to share your woodworking and home improvement thoughts with, well you certainly found it! We are all just folks here and yep, a wee bit smaller then LJ's.

I don't think we have many if any woodworker/welders here Bob, so I am looking forward to hearing more about your metallurgist endeavors as well.

So deep east Texas, not being a Texan myself, how does east deep Texas compare to Galveston, what was the big factor that attracted you guys there. I am assuming a slower pace of life, maybe more country?

Thanks again Bob for joining up, and I hope your not too silent.

Welcome Bob.  We are sorta connected.  Before I retired I did alot of time on NC and CNC machines.  Repairing and running in a large automotive setting.

 

Glad to have you here.  These are a great bunch of folks here!

From the deep freeze and frozen tundra of north dakota to warm and toasty deep east texas............welcome aboard Bob.

Welcome Bob, from North Alabama. y'all pull up a stool and set a spell with us. We are all home folk around here!

Welcome Bob I'm from New Jersey!!!  As a little kid i used to live in San Antonio!!!  Good to see ya!!

John,

You might not be too impressed with my welding skills/knowledge. Pretty much I just dabble in it. I won't weld anything that someone's life may depend on because it has a 50/50 chance of falling apart.

 

The 2 big factors for where we moved are country vs. urban and my Sweetheart CJ has a daughter in Houston and one in Longview with us being about equal distance from each. It also doesn’t hurt that we are now further inland for hurricane season.

 

Galveston is slow paced and laid back, but in a surfer kind of way. Here it is just country comfortable. The population in Galveston is around 47K and here it is about 640. Our town has 2 gas stations, 1 restaurant, 14 churches, and no traffic lights. In Galveston I used to wake up and watch the surf from the Gulf of Mexico, here we live on a 130 acre privet lake and if I see waves either somebody just went by in their boat or it's really, really windy. And best of all our property taxes are about 1/4 of Galveston. Another difference, though not a big issue, is we have to drive 10 miles to the nearest supermarket and WalMart and 40 miles to get to a Home Depot or Lowes.

John Morris said:

Well thanks for sharing Bob! It's a pleasure to have you here with us. You were looking for a smaller intimate place to share your woodworking and home improvement thoughts with, well you certainly found it! We are all just folks here and yep, a wee bit smaller then LJ's.

I don't think we have many if any woodworker/welders here Bob, so I am looking forward to hearing more about your metallurgist endeavors as well.

So deep east Texas, not being a Texan myself, how does east deep Texas compare to Galveston, what was the big factor that attracted you guys there. I am assuming a slower pace of life, maybe more country?

Thanks again Bob for joining up, and I hope your not too silent.

Ron,

My son and my best friend worked on the machines and controlls but I never had the intrest. I started in a machine shop in the mid 70's on an NC, tape control only. No edits and could only search forward on the tape, not back

Ahhhh the simpler times

Ron Dudelston said:

Welcome Bob.  We are sorta connected.  Before I retired I did alot of time on NC and

CNC

machines.  Repairing and running in a large automotive setting.

 

Glad to have you here.  These are a great bunch of folks here!

Gary,

I lived in Wisconsin till I joined the Army at 17. I was stationed at Fort Hood and have never left Texas since. Y'all can have all the cold and snow

Gary Heltemes said:

From the deep freeze and frozen tundra of north dakota to warm and toasty deep east texas............welcome aboard Bob.

Dragon1,

I don't know what SA was like when you lived there, but today it's a very diverse place that swings from world class points of intrest to the lowest of the low slums. I guess most large cities are like that, but given the chance I wouldn't mind having to live there, especially around the River Walk.

dragon1 said:

Welcome Bob I'm from New Jersey!!!  As a little kid i used to live in San Antonio!!!  Good to see ya!!

Hello Bob from another Bob in Wisconsin. Sounds like you love Texas. Good for you. I was born and raised here and never hope to leave. Your weather sounds like something my wife would like. She is an RN also. You sound like a feloow with lots of talents and I hope we can help you in some way. Thanks for joining. bob

Howdy Another Bob

I was born in Portage and lived in Delavan (actually, on Lake Delavan) till I was 12, then we moved to Richmond Illinois till the end of my Freshman year then I spent a year in Thousand Oaks California. I spent my Junior year in Medford Wisconsin and then off to the Army.

I have worked Dairy Farms and the Oil Field and hands down the Oil Field is easier and the money can't compare. Also, I'll take 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity vs. ANY temperature that starts with a -

Does your wife work in a hospital or a specialty?

As to "a fellow of many talents" , I know a little about a lot of things, but not really good at most  When I have something new to do I usually search the internet and get an idea of what I need to do, then after I've done the project I can see several things I should have done differently. What I have learned is what I think is easier is usually not the best and will come back to bite me later

 

The other Bob

Bob Kloes said:

Hello Bob from another Bob in Wisconsin. Sounds like you love Texas. Good for you. I was born and raised here and never hope to leave. Your weather sounds like something my wife would like. She is an RN also. You sound like a feloow with lots of talents and I hope we can help you in some way. Thanks for joining. bob

Hello the other Bob

2 years ago, lake Delavan washed away. Now its back in place. Glad you are in Texas. That is a state I have always wanted to visit. Guess that comes from watching "Lonesome Dove" too many times.

 

I agree about farm work.

 

Below zero isn't bad. You can add more clothes. When it gets hot, its hard to work wood in the nude. At least for me....

Take care buddy. bob

Greetings welcome aboard

Jim

Sorry for the late HOWDY! Welcome to the site! I used to work in Baytown Texas at the Exon plant. Prior to joining the Military I was a pipe fitters helper working for Brown and Root when we built the refinery there in Baytown. Later I was stationed at the Galveston CG base. Good luck with the new home.